French Beans

We passed by Unimart this morning and Vicky was delighted to find very fresh French Beans at the vegetable counters.  This bean is a miniature version of the Baguio Bean but costs much more (P480/kilo).  However, when cooked, the resulting crunch is absolutely a wonder to the palate!  Here's a sample of her recipe, which was prepared in just under 30 minutes:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 head of garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped into fine bits

1/4 kilo chopped bacon (her original idea for the recipe called for pancetta but I had to protest as this makes the cost go over the roof)

1/2 kilo French beans, blanched (it helps to take off the fibrous sides by breaking off the tips and stripping the fiber thread off, as this fiber thread makes it quite difficult to chew)

Saute the garlic and the onions in the olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.  Pop the bacon in the pan and cook until almost golden brown.  Add the French beans and  stir fry in high heat for another 3-5 minutes until cooked.  Serve hot.

We had this for lunch today, and both Monique and I raved at her simple yet so delicious invention.  The dish goes well as a vegetable dish to various meats, including steak and lamb.  Perfect with baked potatoes and sour cream!

Basilan Incident

One of those times I'm an opinion writer.  The latest headlines have been pretty disturbing.  In a violent ambush, rogue elements from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have claimed the lives of nineteen soldiers in Basilan.  While President Aquino has allowed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to conduct air strikes, he has correctly maintained that an all-out offensive is not the solution to the conflict.  Displacement of civilians and mounting conflict casualties will only serve to prolong the dispute.  Having worked in government during the early eighties, I saw various policy-making forays being discussed at the macro level, and I've heard the pros and cons of how to settle the insurgency problem in Mindanao.  Today, I still feel that the strategy should be focused on development--pour money into Mindanao, increase infrastructure spending over the next five years.  The drive to focus the country's agriculture production in Mindanao, a "land-of-promise" policy birthed in the sixties, is another ideal solution--vast tracks of fertile land are available and the island is not located in the typhoon belt that crosses diagonally from Leyte to Pangasinan.  Third, tourism must be pushed--so much natural wonder, so little access, virtually no place to stay.  Th hardest part is that throughout this 15-year process, there must be some balance in the government's handling of the situation--a lot of carrot-coaxing from the negotiating peace panels, and some stick-wielding from the AFP.  True, this is easier said than done, and there will be a lot of work ahead.  I wish the President the best luck on his job.  Success must be well-earned, and he is in the best position to jump-start the healing process.

Chef Tony's

I picked up a tub of Chef Tony's popcorn for a tad less than P200 the other day, without really taking time to choose the flavor.  Luckily the saleslady handed me a tub of their new offering--this flavor was coated in a thin film of white chocolate, and mixed with a generous serving of walnuts, that Monique, Vicky & myself had a great time munching on this snack.  I marveled at how their special corn kernel pops into round shapes, as compared to the usual free-style pop of regular corn.  I particularly liked how this caramelized popcorn feels dry to touch, not sticky or gooey.  Better be careful, this munchy can be addictive!

Lombardi

Had a fast lunch with Anita today at the Lombardi, the pizza restaurant at the ground floor of the Orange Place Hostel on the corner of Santolan Road and Jose Abad Santos St.  I was a bit anxious as we arrived; the parking spaces along Jose Abad Santos were marked slanting the wrong way, and we had a little difficulty parking as there was no attendant to unravel the parking barriers.  But once we entered the restaurant, the clean surroundings and the serene welcome (we were the first guests for lunch) made us feel at home.  While waiting for our orders to arrive, we took a fast peek as some of their rooms, and we found the hostel to be price-friendly (P1,500 a night for a standard room, double occupancy).  Both 2nd and 3rd floors had large waiting areas which could also serve as family gathering areas for chit-chat and kiddie games.  As we got back to the dining area, we watched as the chef made our pizza--their cooking counter and ovens were visible from the dining area, separated only by a glass partition.  We chose their Rustica pizza, which was topped with Parma ham--the thin-crust was just perfect, and Anita was remarked that this evoked memories of her trip to Italy few years back.  I liked the penne putanesca (I'm a sucker for anything with black olives), but Anita found that it lacked the little zing that characterizes excellent harlot's sauce.  Despite that, it was definitely a good place to pause with friends, dine and spend a whole afternoon doing nothing but chit-chat.  About P350 per head.

OPM English CD

I just read an article in Yahoo!  that by 2020, some analysts foresee that the CD and the DVD will go the way of vinyl records, and that music will be delivered via internet downloads.  Before that prediction happens, let me roll out my compilation of favorite OPM Hits in English:

1)     Beautiful Girl  -  Jose Mari Chan

2)     Each Day Is A Valentine  -  Martin Nievera

3)     No One Throws Away Memories (Hallmark)  -  Richard Tann

4)     Give Me A Chance  -  Ric Segretto

5)     I Will Always Stay In Love This Way  -  Baron Barbers

6)     Away From You  -  Jennifer Ramos

7)     Here And Now  -  Jose Mari Chan

8)     I Don't Love You Anymore  -  New Minstrels

9)     Points Of View  -  Joey Albert & Pops Fernandez

10)   Till My Heartaches End  -  Ella Mae Saison

11)   Let The Pain Remain  -  Side A

12)   A Samba Song  -  Bong Penera & the Batucada

13)   Hang On  -  Gary Valenciano

14)   Be My Lady  -  Martin Nievera

15)   I'll Never Say Goodbye  -  Nonoy Zuniga

16)   Farewell  -  Raymond Lauchengco

17)   Closer You and I  -  Gino Padilla

18)   When I Met You  -  Apo Hiking Society

19)   Till I Met You  -  Kuh Ledesma

20)   Refrain  -  Jose Mari Chan

Tropical Hut

This is one burger house that has been around since I can remember.  Originally it was called Azcona's Burgers (the family name of the owner), and the store was located along Quezon Boulevard, right at the ground floor of the family's grocery store called Tropical Hut.  The burger house was located at the right side of the entrance door, while the Kobe Chicken rotisserie was located at the left side.  We simply loved their hamburgers, so juicy, so tender to the bite, so aromatic!  The burgers were always wrapped in aluminum foil, a tradition that they still carry on to this day.  Sometime the late seventies, the owners renamed the restaurant to Tropical Hut, to mirror the name of the grocery.  Nowadays, the brand is known more as a domestic burger chain than as a grocery and retail outlet.  Such wonderful memories--Kong Kong would bring Mikaela, Erika & myself there to eat, right after we'd complete our grocery runs.  I can still remember that when Martial Law was declared, Kong was working abroad (he was one of the original OFWs) and Gwammy was ordered by the doctors to have complete bed rest, as her pregnancy with Anita was in quite a precarious situation).  Accompanied by Mang Naring (our family driver) and I then had to go to Tropical Hut to buy food and groceries, but alas, the shelves were literally cleaned out.  Remember, people were panic-buying at that time!  I looked at Tropical Hut and asked Mang Naring if we could buy burgers, but the restaurant was also closed--my heart fell!  Anyway, today Anita & I shared at Double Patty Burger, so tasty and yet quite inexpensive--P115 only!  Both of us walked out of the restaurant with contented smiles, and as I flick back to access my memory banks, I think the aroma of Tropical Hut hamburgers will really bring back such wonderful childhood memories!  Thanks, Tropical Hut!

Chocfull Of Nuts

Walking around the Greenhills Commercial Center with Anita made us crave for some old-time favorites.  On the second level of the Shoppesville building, there is a store that has sold siopao & kuapao (open-faced siopao) since 1974--Chocfull of Nuts!  I should know, because Gwama and I were buying siopao there on the 2nd day that it was open!  I have been hooked on their snacks ever since.  In the mid-eighties, they also opened a store at the Virra Mall, and another branch was opened along Quezon Boulevard in the nineties, but both these branches were closed sometime in 2002 or 2003.  The original store in Shoppesville, however, is open to this very day.  Prices are quite cheap, and one can have a siopao or a kuapao for P35 only.  We shared a kuapao, as we merely wanted to savor the taste of their goodies, and it was still of the same taste and quality as we remember it.

Tong Yang

We were first introduced to the "Hot Pot" experience by Erika & Beng in the late eighties, and if I remember right, they brought us to the Tong Yang restaurant located at the Pan Pacific Hotel along Adriatico St. in Ermita.  We've been able to visit the other branches of Tong Yang at Quezon Boulevard, but it seems that we haven't gone back in some 4-5 years.  Today was jang-jang day for Kong, Gwam, Monique & myself, and we found ourselves wandering around SM City in Fairview.  To our delight, the Tong Yang branch there offered a special promo price of only P299 per head for weekday lunch eat-all-you-can, and since all of us were famished, we went in and tried the restaurant.  We were not disappointed!  Our grilled items consisted of thinly sliced beef, chicken skewers and shrimps, all cooked with special sauces.  Monique even tried to make some scrambled eggs and fast succeeded--teflon magic!  Our chicken stock was soon boiling with various kinds of seafood, meats and vegetables--gindara, bangus, squid, lapu-lapu, sole, button mushrooms, abalone mushrooms, straw mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, sotanghon noodles, chap chae noodles, chicken liver, young corn, petchay.  Soon we were experimenting with various combinations of sauces and spices.  Their cooked food section was also enticing--pancit canton, siopao, hakaw, siomai, and various kinds of sushi made Gwammy and Monique quite contented!  To finish the meal, we had a choice of fruits, halo-halo and the famous Big Scoop ice cream!  Absolutely worth the price that we paid--we went home pretty much with a big smile on our faces, and by 3 pm, all of us were starting to get sleepy--super busog!

FRC MOR CD

We had great times with my old friend Barbs, who always played the guitar accompaniment for us in high school, and we spent many a night in merriment, singing these songs with a couple of beers.  It was especially great when we'd took that 3-night vacation in Jim's Nasugbu beach house--all 20 of us rocking the night along.  Then in college, the guitar man was Jhicks, and we had lots of time drinking our scotch cum martini creation called "Landing in Normandy" in both the RSD main house and in Baguio.  Here's my Folk, Rock, Country, Middle-of-the-Road CD tribute to those wonder days:

1)    House of the Rising Sun  -  The Animals
2)    Danny's Song  -  Loggins & Messina
3)    Skyline Pigeon  -  Elton John
4)    Dust In the Wind  -  Kansas
5)    Miss American Pie  -  Don Mc Lean
6)    At Seventeen  -  Janis Ian
7)    A Whiter Shade of Pale  -  Procol Harum
8)    Wandering  -  James Taylor
9)    Bohemian Rhapsody  -  Queen
10)  Both Sides Now  -  Judy Collins
11)  Dance With Me  -  Orleans
12)  Save The Last Dance For Me  - Michael Buble
13)  Nightbird  -  Kalapana
14)  Oh Lori  -  Alessi Brothers
15)  Stand By Me  -  Ben E. King
16)  Sister Golden Hair  -  America
17)  Crying In the Rain  -  Everly Brothers
18)  You've Lost That Loving Feeling  -  Righteous Brothers
19)  Delilah  -  Tom Jones
20)  Release Me  -  Englebert Humperdinck
21)  Baby Come Back  -  Player
22)  Hotel California  -  Eagles


   

Casa Marcos

We had a classic Spanish dinner with Vicky's former classmates last night, and it was a wonderful surprise to find out that the Burgos Circle at the Fort has transformed into a gourmet's lounge area.  As it was a special night (one of her good friends and drinking gal-pals from the old days arrived from San Diego), they opted to have the reunion in Casa Marcos, which was last seen some 10 years ago, operating in Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.  As I understand it, the original restaurant was operated during the peacetime days by a Spanish national, and the restaurant was located along Dewey Boulevard in Pasay (now Roxas Boulevard).  After the war, the franchise was passed onto a local businessman, and the gentleman's family moved the restaurant to Granada Street in New Manila sometime in the early eighties, before further relocating to the Tomas Morato site in the nineties.  The New Manila location started selling their pan de sal by the dozen, which was pretty much the same starter bread laid out by the staff when you dine in the restaurant, and the tradition has carried on ever since.  The current iteration is run by the third generation family members, and the old favorites are still around.  We had gambas for starters, lengua, fish in tomato sauce, 2 pans of seafood paella (still with the tutung or crunchy burnt rice at the bottom of the pan), tenderloin tips, and callos for our main meal.  The gambas was still the same as I remember it, but the callos was a bit disappointing, as the chef in their old Dewey Boulevard branch probably had a better understanding of how the dish should be prepared.  For desserts, we had chocolate cake, pudding and french-toast style pan de sal topped with ice cream.  For that, it came to something like P600 per head.  It was a memorable evening, and we didn't even notice that 3 hours had passed since we started.  It was great to see old friends in a restaurant evoking good memories.  As we left, it just occurred to me that I didn't get to taste their Sopa de Mariscos, which I remember was everything the classic soup should be!  But then, that would be for another visit... ;-)

Finetti

After raving about Ferrero Rocher & its Nutella brand of premium hazelnut spreads (this is the original hazelnut-cocoa creation), I was quite pleased to find a less expensive, but similar tasting version in Finetti, a hazelnut spread which I bought in Unimart.  Imagine, the 1 kilo tub I got was priced at slightly less than P200, and this would last us for several weeks!  I understand that this brand is made by Chipita, a Greek conglomerate that has a wide market footprint in over 35 countries, including the Philippines.  The Finetti brand is the market leader in both Romania and Bulgaria, and has consistently gained ground in the Philippine market due to its very competitive pricing structure.  I was quite impressed with both the taste and consistency of the product, and this closely resembles that of the original creation.  Very good for us, especially Monique who just loves spreading this over her monay and hot pan de sal!

OPM CD

And who can forget these Original Pilipino Music hits?  If I were a music producer, I would love to compile these songs on one CD:


1)    Pumapatak Ang Ulan - Apo Hiking Society
2)    Kung Sakali  -  Pabs Dadivas
3)    Balatkayo  -  Anthony Castelo
4)    Manila  -  Hotdog
5)    Anak  -  Freddie Aguilar
6)    Nakapagtataka  -  Danny Javier
7)    Ngayon At Kailanman  -  Basil Valdez
8)    Bato Sa Buhangin  -  Cinderella
9)    Muli  -  Ramon Jacinto
10)  Nananabik  -  Didith Reyes
11)  O, Lumapit Ka  -  Ella Del Rosario
12)  Buhat  -  New Minstrels
13)  Magkasuyo Buong Gabi  -  Rico J. Puno & Elsa Chan
14)  Umagang Kay Ganda  -  Tillie Moreno & RayAn Fuentes
15)  Swerte Swerte Lang  -  Joel Navarro
16)  Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan  -  Side A
17)  Binibini  -  Rainmakers
18)  Handog  -  Florante
19)  Kay Ganda Ng Atin Musika  -  Hadji Alejandro
20)  Kung Liligaya Ka Sa Piling Ng Iba  -  Imelda Papin
21)  May Bukas Pa  -  Rico J. Puno
22)  Paniwalaan Mo  -  Blue Jeans
23)  Bonggahan  -  Sampaguita
24)  Laki Sa Layaw  -  Mike Hanopol
25)  Bakit Ba Ganyan  -  Dina Bonnevie
26)  Pinoy Ako  -  Orange & Lemons


I'm sure that CD would be a smash hit, right?

Sbarro

Had some time on my hands this afternoon while waiting for Vicky to finish up a meeting over some legal matters.  Having had only a siopao for lunch, I decided to take a short walk for a slice of freshly made pizza by Sbarro, a branch of which was located on the second floor of the KPMG Center (used to be the Prudential Bank Building) along Ayala Avenue.  In a few minutes, I was faced with a big slice of their Chicago White Deep Dish Pizza, topped with extra cheese and tomato sauce; took me a good 15 minutes to finish the plate.  Not bad, except that I hadn't counted on the pizza having pineapple as one of the ingredients--I prefer my pineapple as a dessert, thank you.  Maybe I should have taken the tomato-based Chicago Deep Dish version?  Served fairly fresh, fairly fast,  I think the continued popularity of this chain stems from the fact that the counter spreads always look appetizing, and that the pizza-making happens right in front of the customer--will obviously communicates that the pizza is freshly made.  Pizzas are quite large, and range from P500 for the basic mozarella cheese flavor to P1,350 for the Chicago Deep Dish pizza.  Nothing fancy, but basic Italian pizza/pasta for everyday treats.

Sweet & Super Sweet CD

How about a sweet CD for slow dancing?  I'm talking about memories of afternoon soirees, of a time when we were always out--late night romancing during our high school & college days, of taking time-out to pause with friends to drink, sing & make merry, of those telebabad days before YM and Facebook existed... Let's see now:
 
1)     I Just Got Caught Dancing Again  -  Hues Corporation
2)     This Time I'll Be Sweeter  -  Angela Bofill
3)     I'll Never Love This Way Again  -  Dionne Warwick
4)     After The Love Has Gone  -  Earth, Wind & Fire
5)     Just As Long As We Have Love  -  Spinners
6)     City Of Angels  -  The Miracles
7)     Whispering Waves  -  Donna Summer
8)     Three Ring Circus  -  Blue Magic
9)     One Last Memory  -  Impact
10)   Love Won't Let Me Wait  -  Major Harris
11)   Reminiscing  -  Little River Band
12)   Sharing The Night Together  -  Dr. Hook
13)   Don't Give Up On Us  -  David Soul
14)   How Deep Is Your Love  -  Bee Gees
15)   I Honestly Love You  -  Olivia Newton-John
16)   King & Queen  -  David Pomeranz
17)   It's Sad To Belong  -  England Dan & John Ford Coley
18)   Of All The Things  -  Dennis Lambert
19)   What Matters Most  -  Kenny Rankin
20)   Wildflower  -  Skylark
21)   Color My World  -  Chicago
22)   I Just Don't Wanna Be Lonely  -  The Main Ingredient
23)  The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye  -  Sergio Mendes & Brasil 77

Milky Way

As we were strolling around the Power Plant Mall, my grumbly tummy requested some affection, and The Milky Way beckoned!  This restaurant was originally located right across from the Malate Church, and in the late seventies, the group opened another branch along Pasay Road.  A few years ago, their Power Plant and Greenhills branches opened, bringing the good old memories to a wider target audience.  Of course this time around we had Vicky's all time favorite--chicken asparagus sandwich!  I looked at the cooked food section and I saw a lot of my favorites--lengua, adobong pusit, and kare-kare! I had to hold my horses, however--we were just around for a snack.  The deli items were also a welcome sight--they have Gwammy's favorite, sweet pickled pajo mangoes (tiny ones, everything in which you can eat).  Eating here is quite price-friendly, and one can fill up a hungry tummy within the P200 price range.  A lot of good memories, and enjoyable food!

The Blue Kitchen

When Vicky has a craving for Pallilos de Milan, we go to the Power Plant Mall at the Rockwell Center in Makati.  This cookie is  mini version of the broas, and is even smaller than the Ladyfinger.  It resembles small matchsticks, quite crunchy to the bite and coated with a sugar-flavored coating, absolutely yummy!  At the end of the restaurant row on basement level 1, a deli called The Blue Kitchen makes some of the most wonderful Pallilos cookies with a twist--it's called Pallilos de Joe instead of Pallilos de Milan--probably the name of the owner or their head baker!  Once I munch, half the jar is gone!  This deli has a lot of sweets (bars, cookies, cakes, loaves and other bakery goodies) and other savory items--longganisa, dilis, even tapang usa!

Panciteria Lido

We've been fans of the panciterias that serve Comida Tsina in Binondo (usually along T. Pinpin St.) ever since we were kids.  Gwammy and Kong would take us to eat in Rice Bowl, Toho and Panciteria Antigua but I don't remember exactly where Panciteria Lido was located.  Apparently, the restaurant was established in 1936 and now has 9 branches all over the metro.  Their specialty--oven roasted pork asado!  This is barbecued pork, roasted and sliced, served with some side sauce.  Had a business meeting with some friends last night and after a long day of door-to-door market surveys, we had our meeting over a fast dinner at Panciteria Lido along Espana Extension in Quezon City.  We had the specialty dishes that where pictured on their wall--pork asado, cha-mi, Lido fried rice, prawn balls & lechon Macao!  With a beer each we had our full!  Bill came to P400 per head.

Cassava Creme

Passed by RSD, and had merienda in Gwammy's house.  Anita bought some cassava pudding from Cassava Creme Royale, located along P. Guevarra St. nearing the intersection of Santolan Road.  I tried the pudding, it was a bit sweeter than the usual cassava cakes, and the consistency was a bit gelatin-like, probably because of the cream (note that the common cassava cakes are sometimes quite hard & sticky to bite).  Obviously, the use of cream makes the pudding creamier, which was reflected in the resulting texture and taste of the pudding.  A slight twist to the familiar kakanin!

Infinitea

Had a late night meeting with some friends last week, and we were able to find a quiet tea shoppe along D. Tuazon St. to discuss business matters.  InfiniTea is an obvious pun, but the milk tea is pretty easy to take amidst the chatter.  This place must have some 50+ varieties of tea drinks--several flavors, with or without milk, pearl balls and the like.  Surprisingly, the shoppe also serves takoyaki balls which seemed quite odd, but was a welcome midnight snack.  Around P100 per head.

Fely J's Kitchen

This weekend was a true-blue Greenbelt 5 weekend--I mean we there twice, and our late Sunday lunch (as in super late at 3:30 pm) took place in Fely J's Kitchen.  Andi was pretty noisy already (I guess her tummy was acting up), but Vicky & Monique waited patiently for our food to arrive.  We started off with 2 orders of pancit--canton and palabok, both of which Monique enjoyed.  Vicky also had dinuguan (blood stew) with puto (rice cake), which made the meal seem like meryenda.  However, the pork slab adobo and the crispy-fried tilapia that arrived immediately after, made the meal still fall in the lunchtime category, just right for my hungry tummy.  Fely J's Kitchen is part of the LJC Group of Restaurants founded by the late restaurateur Larry Cruz of Cafe Adriatico fame (note that Fely J is his mother), and we're happy that the group has taken pains to serve Filipino cuisine with ingenious culinary twists (the crispy fried tilapia for example, was served with a sweet-sour sauce that was Thai-inspired).  At the same time, the food is still Pampangueno in character, and the restaurant ambience is definitely Pinoy.  Quite a good meal, we spent something like P400 per person, and we left the restaurant with our tummies refilled!

Mamon Tostado

With the advent of newer kiddie snacks (like vegetable chicharon) I sometimes develop a craving for old-time favorites that Gwammy would keep around the house.  Luckily, I was able to come across some La Pacita Mamon Tostado in Unimart, and to my delight, Monique likes the biscuit.  When we were kids, Gwammy used to make home-made mamon tostado, which is basically leftover vanilla sponge cake that is re-heated to create a crunchy texture.  Now, the product is available in supermarkets, but not that easy to find--I guess it's a specialty product then!

Ghana

Lotte, the Japanese-Korean candy maker, has been around for some time, and I can remember their chewing gum being sold by the street hawkers in the early 80s, along with Juicy Fruit gum and Halls mentho-lyptus.  They've never been known for chocolates though, but despite that, I picked-up a couple of bars of Ghana choco bars in Clark Field during my last trip, just to sample the stuff.  To my surprise, the chocolate was smooth, had no greasy feel and had the right sweetness, that I thought I should have bought a few more bars, as the bar is priced quite reasonably (P60).  I understand that the chocolate bar is named after the country Ghana, which is one of the world's largest cacao exporters.  As an afterthought, I shouldn't be surprised, as Lotte, which was established in Japan, but grew to phenomenal proportions in Korea, is one of the region's biggest candy manufacturers.  In the Philippines, the group is in partnership with Lucio Tan's business empire, but I understand that the partnership concentrates on importation, not manufacturing.  A simple, fun treat!

Caffe Ti-amo

After that wonderful dinner at Ganso-Shabuway, it was Monique's turn to bring her mum to Caffe Ti-amo, at the ground floor of Greenbelt 5.  This Italian coffee shop has some very interesting gelato flavors.  When the place first opened early this year, Monique & I were the first ones who bought a tubful of ice cream!  And this time, because of their DUO promo (buy one, take one), we had 2 pints of gelato for P400!  One pint had blueberry and melon, while the other one had chocolate with crispy rice and orange.  Made fresh, with the finest ingredients, the shop's ice cream was so very good, and we spent practically half an hour just savoring the gelato.

Ganso-Shabuway

Vicky had tried Ganso-Shabuway hotpot (steamboat) restaurant with a client a few weeks ago, and couldn't resist asking Monique & myself back for a second round.  It's a specialty place for shabu-shabu, or Japanese-style hotpot, and the piece de resistance is their Kobe beef plate (200 grams) which comes in thinly sliced and so marbled that a 5 second dunk in the boiling soup is all that's needed for one to enjoy!  Absolutely so buttery-creamy!  As a less expensive alternative (about half the price), the Angus plate is also tasty, but not as marbled.  We took one plate of each, just to taste the difference, and in addition, we also had unagi (sea snake).  Their signature sesame sauce is such a delight--I must figure out how they make this stuff at home; it is very tasty.  The dunking soup comes in two variants--seaweed and miso, which was slightly on the spicy side.  I understand that this is a US franchise, and their branch at the 2nd floor of Greenbelt 5 is their maiden foray into the Philippine market.  All in all a good experience for us, just be prepared to spend something like P1,000 per head.


Antha Grey ribbing as Mother Hen points to the moon--Waiting for space ships, ey?

Dance Memory CD

If I were a disc-jockey, what disco/dance songs would I compile for a memory-filled CD?  Well...


1)      Souvenirs  -  Voyage
2)     Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You  -  Teri De Sario
3)     The Best Disco In Town  -  Ritchie Family
4)     The Hustle  -  Van Mc Coy
5)     The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP)  -  MFSB
6)     September  -  Earth, Wind & Fire
7)     Saturday Night Fever  -  Bee Gees
8)     Come To Me  -  France Joli
9)     Native New Yorker  -  Odyssey
10)   Rock the Boat  -  Hues Corporation
11)    Papaya  -  Ursula Dudziak
12)   E=mc2  -  Giorgio Moroder
13)   Push Push In the Bush  -  Poussez
14)   Born To Be Alive  -  Patrick Hernandez
15)   Love Is The Ultimate  -  Ultimate
16)   You To Me Are Everything  -   The Real Thing
17)   Good Times  -  Chic
18)   You Sexy Thing  -  Hot Chocolate
19)   Mac Arthur's Park  -  Donna Summer
20)   Midnight in Manhattan  -  Seventh Avenue
21)   YMCA  -  Village People
22)   Enough Is Enough  -  Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer
23)   Dancing In Paradise  -  El Coco
24)   Never Gonna Give You Up  -  Rick Astley
25)   He's The Greatest Dancer  -  Sister Sledge


I recall that we spent countless nights with our friends at Lost Horizon (Philippine Plaza), Where Else? (Manila Intercon), 1571 (Manila Hilton), Q (Regent of Manila), Jungle Bar/Apres (Manila Hotel), Cellar (Century Park Sheraton), El Camarote (Holiday Inn Manila), Valentino's (Manila Midtown Ramada, Calesa Bar (Hyatt), Coco Banana, Garahe & On Disco, among others.  We were penniless, so we had to save up for the entrance fees for ourselves and our dates; and once inside, we would nurse one beer the whole night, spend more time on the dance floor, swing to the boom boom of the bass speakers...

Hungry Hippo

I first encountered this burger joint many years ago in the early nineties, and if I'm not mistaken one of their first branches that became well-known was along either the North Diversion Road or somewhere on South Super Highway (that was the time before the bureaucrats coined the abbreviated "NLEX" and "SLEX").  I can remember that there was usually a long line of customers waiting to get their hamburgers, but the aroma flowing out of the restaurant was very inviting that people didn't mind the long wait.  A few years back, I had several opportunities to eat at their branch located at the Shell Building along Valero St. in Salcedo Village, but to my dismay, that branch closed sometime 2008.  Today I had a meeting at the RCBC Plaza along Buendia Avenue in Makati, and to my pleasant surprise, I was able to visit Hungry Hippo again!  Their burgers are a bit more expensive now (basic burgers start at P85), but the smell and taste are still as I can remember. Soft buns, with lettuce and tomatoes, freshly cooked, hot off the pan!  They also have a variety of other sandwiches--tuna, corned beef, club sandwiches that it seems that they have already evolved into a snack bar, great for a hungry hippo just like me!

Manila Pen

Had a fast business meeting at the lobby of the Manila Peninsula today.  I was a bit early and found myself gazing at the sun sculpture adorning the ceiling.  Was it a Castrillo?  I don't recall now.  But I do recall the numerous fun visits to this hotel, and the hours spent meeting business associates in this very lobby.  It's been 37 years since this hotel opened, in time for the 1974 conference of the International Monetary Fund, and I can still recall the first few times that I stepped into the lobby--I felt a sense of grandeur.  The coffee shop was originally a Swiss Chalet, at one point the management called it the Neilsen Cafe (in honor of the Neilsen Airport Tower across the road), and now it is known as Escolta, aptly named for its Filipino sense of style.  In the seventies and eighties, the lobby area was the place to see and be seen--airy, bright, and welcoming.  Today's delight was the hot chocolate I enjoyed--thick, very delicious, although a tad sweet.  Nice to pair up with a little reminiscing...

Dexter's Pizza

Vicky's cousins just inaugurated a franchise of Dexter's Pizza very near the Makati City Hall.  We were fortunate to taste their pizza creations over the weekend--4 cheese, ham & mushroom, shawarma & all-meat versions.  The dough is somewhere in the middle of thin and thick, and is quite filling.  Around 8 years ago, we would buy from the Dexter's Pizza branch along Vito Cruz Extension in Makati, but that branch closed after a couple of years.  Thinking that the brand had died a natural death, it was a pleasant surprise to know that the company still has a few outlets operating in the Metro.  Prices are very affordable--ranging from P100 for the smaller pizzas to P250 for the larger ones.

Ferrero Rocher

 

The chocolate stash of Vicky is fast depleting!  Miguel opened a box of Ferrero chocolate balls yesterday, and the whole box was gone in 30 minutes...  It was our first time to try the coconut variety (shown on the right with the silver wrapper), and both Vicky & I were pleasantly surprised at the taste and texture.  This Italian creation is such a wonderful midnight treat!  Interestingly, in the corporate world, the Ferrero group is known to be very secretive of its hazelnut recipes (the company also manufactures Nutella, the spreadable hazelnut creme filling).  Like a lot of European chocolatiers, the company, which opened in the post-war years, is still run by family members.

Bee Cheng Hiang

Bee Cheng Hiang has been a favorite of ours for some time now.  In the early eighties, we had to buy their BBQ pork squares in Hong Kong, and hand carry the precious cargo back to Manila--it was always a challenge to sneak the stuff past customs.  Nowadays, with a few stores in Manila, we've been able to buy the pork squares at will.  However, Vicky says that the BBQ squares in Singapore taste even better than the ones locally produced, and during their last trip to the city-state a few months, bought several kilos which we keep in deep freeze.  It seems that slowly, the stash is fading away--after munching on a few squares today, we are down to 2 BBQ squares left.  Oh no--this gives me withdrawal symptoms already--this is such a addicting snack!

Monopoly

Monique had spotted a classic Monopoly game board set at the Eastwood Mall--this version is a throwback to the early years of the game, a set encased in wood, with streets and and equipment made to look like the game set issued in the 1930s.  An instant game favorite of the kids, this game can be traced to 1904, created as a teaching aid to students of economics.  Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of the Hasbro toy company, manufactures the game (well, that make Hasbro the owner of the 3 of the most recommended parlor game sets: Life, Monopoly and Pictionary).  Without a second thought, we picked up a set, and we're scheduled to play our inaugural game over the next few weekends when a family quorum can be mustered.  I think that the game is so familiar, and is probably the most popular of the commercial board games.  The picture shown above is a redesigned concept of the board game box that I found on the web, and I must say is a work of art--a very refreshing concept work indeed!

Mann Hann

More on our Friday Jang-Jang (an wandering adventure the purpose of which is not to do anything in particular, but to do something together).  From Kimpura, Kong, Gwam & I went to look at furniture in Our Home at the V Mall (formerly Virra Mall) to check out styles for Kong's new office at the ground floor of RSD Main.  We also went around Ace Hardware to get some batteries and fluorescent starters.  By the time we got to the ground floor, Kong and I looked at the new Hyundai Tucson while Gwammy went around Watson's Drug Store. My mistake thereafter was going to the SM Appliance store to check on air-conditioning units without letting Gwammy know our whereabouts.  After getting separated, we couldn't locate her for a good 30 minutes, and Kong was already feeling tired!  Luckily, he sat at the Viridian sales nook and the lady happily entertained his questions about the soon-to-rise residential condominium--that was a relief, he was able to rest and we were in a spot that was easily visible for Gwammy to find us.  By around 3pm I was already restless--I figured that she has gone to Unimart to do some last-minute shopping, so Kong and I left for Unimart.  What a big relief for us that she was there, almost done with her grocery list. Apparently she had tired feet at Watson's and thus chose to rest at the Greenhills chapel.

Happy that we found each other, we finished our shopping and moved on to have merienda at Mann Hann, along JA Santos St. in Little Baguio.  Kong had wanted to have some dimsum snacks, and the place was the perfect place in order for Anita, Anton and Monique to join us for a mid-day break.  I think we ate so much--duck misua soup, ma chang (flavored sticky rice),  siomai, ha kaw (shrimp dumplings, which unfortunately, Gwammy and Monique were not too happy about), beef ho fan (flat thick white noodles), ke kiam (chicken-pork-5 spice mixture wrapped in thin tofu and deep fried), plus some take-out of asado siopao for Louise & Kuya Noel (who joined us for an early dinner in Anita's house.  The tab ran up to P200 per head, but everyone had a little snack.  The night was topped by a visit to the nearby Mickey D for a late night dessert with the kiddie-widdies.  Yes, that was our thrilling and food-filled Friday Jang-Jang!

Manila COD Christmas Display

As we left Kimpura, we came face-to-face with the Greenhills signboard along Ortigas Avenue.  We noticed that the signboard had a miniature castle built right next to it, and we instantly realized that Christmas was coming!  You might wonder what the connection is--you see the miniature castle is part of the annual Christmas display that the Manila COD used to show at their store in Cubao in the seventies.  In the late nineties, when Manila COD faced bankruptcy, the Rosario family (owners of Manila COD) authorized the transfer of the Christmas display to the Greenhills Commercial Center, a long-standing Christmas tradition that just refuses to die!  I remember Kong and Gwammy taking us to Cubao just to watch the Christmas display, which was really very simple--figurines going around a rail track in their best Christmas attire.  We'd spend around thirty minutes or so gazing at the display, and then we've move on to either Fiesta Carnival or Rustan's Superstore.  I'd have to keep track of my sisters Mikaela, Erika & Anita (who was still small at that time) while wandering around the crowded streets of Cubao, and we'd all be carrying lots of shopping bags (including shoes that we'd buy from the Marikina Shoe Expo).  I also remember eating either at 3M Pizza (they had a branch at the Araneta Coliseum) or Ferino's Bibingka (right next to Manila COD).  Very memorable and fun-filled family moments indeed!

Kimpura

Had a trip down memory lane over lunch last Friday with Kong and Gwammy, as we went to Greenhills to eat in Kimpura Restaurant.  This Japanese restaurant has been around since 1970, and opened alongside Unimart when Ortigas & Co. inaugurated the Greenhills Commercial Center.  Kong and his golf buddies used to eat in this restaurant every Saturday lunch for several years from the late 80s to the early 90s, and true to form, their then regular food attendant, Larry, was also around when we went there last Friday, and he recognized Kong and made us welcome.  Their group was such a regular customer that the cashier of the restaurant already kept  copies of their senior citizen ID cards, and the computations of their 20% discount would become an automatic thing.  For starters we had miso soup, while Gwammy ordered some California Maki.  We then had chicken & prawn teppanyaki, and with it, two kinds of fried rice.  Just enough to be full without being stuffed, all for an average of P350 per head (Kong has this theory that if you know how to order well in Japanese restaurants, you can eat well without paying overboard).  We were made to understand that the restaurant has other branches in both Greenbelt Makati and Tri-noma in Quezon City, and we probably will visit these locations sometime in the near future.

Green Lantern

The DC comic book heroes find another screen version brought to life--Ryan Reynolds stars as Hal Jordan, the test pilot, who becomes chosen by a green ring to become the champion of justice in this part of the universe (Sector 2814) known as Green Lantern.  The ring does not have continues power though, and must be recharged on a regular basis by touching the ring to the lantern, and speaking the oath "In the brightest day, in the darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight; to those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light."  In this case, the green light is the "emerald energy of will power," which Hal Jordan has plenty of.  I understand that the original comic book in the forties stated that the lantern was powered by mystical forces, but the 1960s reboot of the franchise changed the story line to make the lantern powered by sheer human will.  Very interesting, as it connotes the human story--a battle of the will to succeed versus the the forces of the unknown, which conjures up fear in humans.  In the DC universe, the ring is supposed to be one of the most powerful weapons in existence--all fueled by will power.  Hmmm--so much power for human beings!  Interestingly, Reynolds has also appeared in the Marvel screen as Deadpool, an assassin who is a former teammate of Wolverine.  Also, his ex-wife Scarlet Johansson, plays the Russian agent Black Widow, in the very successful Marvel Iron Man franchise.   When these actors were a married couple, they were called the "sexiest couple" in Hollywood, and their continuous gigs as costumed heroes is probably the offshoot of their celebrity status.  My only objection to the movie is that the enemy of Green Lantern turns out to be an cloudish & octopus-looking yellow ooze...not much to be frightened about.  Oh well, you can't win them all!  Over-all, still an enjoyable movie for a grown-up kid like me!

Pasto

Wandering around the Eastwood area last Sunday with the Callars was a great way to bump into people, as both Vicky & myself saw some friends shopping in the mall.  We found ourselves having dinner at Pasto Italian restaurant along the older Citywalk area, and while Panini started off with her shrimp bisque, the rest of us enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of pizza and pasta.  The pizzas at Pasto (which means "meal" in Italian) are exactly what we like--thin, crispy and tasty!  We had five kinds of pizza--4 cheese, ham & asparagus, meat-lovers, bianca with seafood, and the "everything-on-it" variety, which the kids munched away, disappearing form the table in flash!  We also had 2 kinds of pasta, a cream based penne with sun-dried tomatoes (this I found a bit odd though, as the tomatoes were on the sweet side), and a mean arriabiatta (spicy bacon).  The ambience is cozy, with red as the dominant color scheme.  The kitchen can be viewed through a glass wall, and this certainly makes for interesting conversation with the kids.  Quite reasonable, as we spent around P350 per head.

The Sound of Music

It's been around 45 years since Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer teamed up in the 1965 Academy Award winning musical, The Sound of Music.  While still quite active, both of these actors are nearly approaching their eighties, and whenever I hear any song from the musical, I automatically think of them when they were in their prime.  Such a wonderful movie!  The story takes place in the years just before the Second World War, and tells us of the life of the Von Trapp family singers--of their governess Maria, a former novice, who falls in love with Captain Von Trapp and becomes stepmother to 6 children.  As Captain Von Trapp is politically pursued by the Nazi regime, the story tells of their subsequent escape to Switzerland.  It's the classic love story, and Christopher Plummer plays the dashing German aristocrat, while Julie Andrews is perfect as the ex-novice ingenue.  A sucker for tear-jerkers, I always cry every time I watch the prelude to the wedding scene, where the Mother Superior of Maria, tells Maria to "climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream."  These days, I have been seeing the posters for the musical all over the metro--on billboards, on buses, in the newspapers--because a local production group is staging another round at the Resorts World performing theater in front of NAIA Terminal 3.  It just reminds me that some stories are timeless, and will be enjoyed for generations to come.

The Game of Life

If I remember correctly, Monique was only around 7 or 8 years old when her Tito King and Tita Bella gifted her with a the Game of Life, a very popular American board game made the the Milton Bradley company (yes, he's the same Milton Bradley that advocated Kindergarten in American education).  The object of the game is to make the most in life--of course, based on the roll of the die (or the spinner, as the case may be).  Players study, choose to go to college or work, go on date, start a family, and get "life points" by achievement, much like in real life.  I understand that this board game dates back to 1860, and is of now 150 years old.  Relaunched in 1960, the modern version has several variants, and we recently found a special limited edition of the board game, sold by Hasbro Toys (which acquired the Milton Bradley Company in 1984).  We've spent several fun-filled family hours playing this board game, and I believe that it is a very good way of teaching children the intricacies of life.  I'd like to see an international edition, though, as the commonly sold game set revolves mostly around the American way of life.  Very enjoyable, plenty of amusing times with the children, and one board game that is a definite must-have in anyone's household. 

Baker's Mill

I simply forgot to write about this wonderful snack food that I picked up in Cebu during my last trip.  Dried nokos, as the Cebuanos call squid, tastes so yummy that I can probably eat a half kilo of the stuff in one sitting.  It's basically salty seafood snack, that has a tinge of both sweetness and chili.  No starches or artificial flavoring--this is the real thing, plain dried pusit!  One of the more popular brands is Baker's Mill, which comes in a gift box.  Price however, varies a lot--in Manila this comes to P285 per box; in Davao, Vicky found some at P250 per box; while in Cebu, the retailers have it at P185 per box, and the source (Profoods) goes down as low as P160 per box.  I still have 3 boxes in our stash--and don't you dare get one! ;)